Preparation - 02

Lucian followed the guy into the VIP room in the casino, his steps calm even though his eyes quickly scanned the room. "Master, your client has arrived," the guy said respectfully after opening the door to a private room.

Inside, someone was lounging behind a desk piled with documents. Schnee, better known as Alpha in the guild, looked up and stared at Lucian with a neutral expression. "Alright, thanks, Syllon. You can get back to your work," she replied casually, slipping a piece of paper into one of the folders in front of her.

Syllon bowed respectfully before turning and leaving the room, quietly closing the door behind him. Lucian just glanced at the door that had just closed before finally walking over to the table casually. He pulled out a chair without waiting for an invitation and sat down in a relaxed posture, but his eyes remained sharp, watching Schnee intently.

"You came a bit earlier this time," said Alpha, leaning back in his chair with a relaxed expression. "I thought you'd have some fun first like before." Her tone sounded playful, as if testing Lucian's reaction.

Lucian just smiled slightly before casually crossing his legs. "Do you see me as someone who likes to gamble?" He looked at Alpha with a meaningful gaze. "I'm the type of person who doesn't take time lightly." His eyes radiated sharpness, showing that he wasn't interested in wasting time on small talk. This meeting wasn't just an ordinary meeting, and both Lucian and Alpha understood that.

Alpha leaned back in her chair casually, one eyebrow raised with a teasing expression. "Isn't it weird if someone comes to a casino without playing something?" Her tone sounded like she was testing Lucian, as if waiting for his reaction.

Lucian just snorted softly, not interested in responding to Alpha's wordplay. He crossed his arms over his chest, staring at him blankly. "Alright, enough small talk," he said, his voice firm. "You've got my request ready, right?"

Alpha smirked before shaking her head slightly. "I figured from your previous letter that you'd show up this soon." With a casual motion, she pulled out a thick folder from the drawer beside her containing the copies of the evidence Lucian requested. She placed it on the table, pushing it towards the man with one finger.

Lucian took the folder without hesitation, opened its pages, and started reading carefully. His eyes scanned every detail inside, his expression remained calm, but his fingers tapped the table slowly—a little habit of his when he was thinking.

Lucian studied the copy of the evidence longer, his hand still holding the paper carefully. Alpha watched, but stayed silent, waiting for the man's reaction. "What are you going to do with that copy?" Alpha asked in a slightly more serious tone, not wanting to reveal too much about herself.

Lucian smiled faintly without looking at Alpha. "It depends on how I want to use it," he replied calmly, his voice full of mystery. "I don't have the right to say that, do I?" His eyes stared at Alpha intensely, as if there was a hidden message behind his words.

But before their conversation could go any further, the door creaked open loudly. A well-groomed man with blue hair and a charming smile walked in, exuding a strong aura of authority. It was Reynald Florence.

"What's this?" his voice rang out, immediately interrupting the ongoing conversation. "You should have told me right away," he continued sharply, before quickly stepping to the table and sitting across from Lucian without waiting for permission.

Alpha stood up hastily, his face showing discomfort, as if caught between these two men. "Brother- no, I mean His Grace, did I not say I would contact you again later?" She moved his hand, somewhat awkwardly, as if trying to ease this suddenly tense situation.

Reynald leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, staring sharply at Lucian. "I have memorized that habit of yours," he said in a casual tone, yet his eyes were full of judgment. He smirked slightly before continuing, "So, you're Lucian Hale?"

He observed the young man in front of him, then added in a scolding tone, "You look really different from Marquis Hale."

Lucian remained calm in the face of that sharp gaze. He didn't show any excessive reaction, just a slight smile before responding politely, yet still confidently. "Right, I'm Lucian Hale."

His eyes flicked to Alpha for a moment before returning to Reynald. He then leaned slightly forward and asked casually, "By the way, about the previous client you mentioned... was it His Grace Raynald Florence?" Actually, Lucian already knew the answer, but he still asked the question as if it were just small talk, waiting to see how they would react to his question.

Reynald let out a short sigh before looking at Lucian with sharp eyes. He rested one hand on the armrest of the chair, while the other hand tapped the table slowly.

"Yeah, I asked Sc- I mean, Alpha, to say that I wanted to meet you," he said, letting a bit of tension flow in his words. He glanced briefly at Alpha, who stood with a flat expression. "There's something I want to say." Lucian stayed calm, just raising an eyebrow slightly, waiting for him to continue.

Lucian stayed calm, just raising an eyebrow slightly, waiting for him to continue.

Reynald looked at him for a moment before finally leaning back in his chair. "I appreciate your help with that case, but..." His voice lowered, his tone becoming more serious. "What's your goal in doing that?"

The Alpha, sitting apart from Lucian and Raynald, watched them both, then squinted a little but didn't say anything. He just observed the conversation with great interest.

Lucian smiled faintly, casually straightening the folder in front of him. "Nothing interesting," he said lightly, as if it wasn't something worth questioning. "I'm just doing what I set out to do."

Reynald tapped his fingers on the table, his expression hard to read. "And that?"

Lucian glanced at Alpha for a moment before turning back to Duke with a small smile. "You can ask the person sitting over there, right?" Alpha sighed, shrugging as if he was reluctant to get more involved. Reynald watched their interaction, then looked at Lucian more sharply.

"I want to hear it straight from you, Lucian Hale," he finally said, his voice full of pressure.

Lucian didn't answer right away. He looked at Reynald with meaningful eyes, then leaned back in his chair with a relaxed expression. "If I were you, I'd have an easy time guessing why I'm doing this."

Reynald snorted softly. "I'm not as good at wordplay as Alpha, so just tell me your goal right away."

Lucian smiled slightly then looked at Reynald with a sharp gaze, "What I want is a mutual relationship." Reynald raised one eyebrow. "Reciprocity?"

"That's right, Your Grace." Lucian leaned forward slightly, his voice remaining calm. "In short, allies."

Reynald crossed his arms on his chest, his expression flat, but his eyes judged Lucian sharply. "Ally, huh?" He tapped on the table with his fingers, weighing Lucian's words before finally chuckling softly.

"I heard that His Grace Florence is a smart person." Lucian leaned back casually in his chair, then added in a light tone, "I'm sure you already guessed something when I mentioned that word." He smiled a little smile full of meaning.

Reynald stared at Lucian for a few seconds before letting out a small laugh. "Ahahaha... Huh..." He rubbed his chin while giving a slight grin. "I actually don't know if you are very brave or just overly confident."

Lucian merely shrugged. "Why not both?" His eyes remained calm, as if unfazed by the Raynald's scrutinizing gaze.

"I suspected you were quite intriguing." Reynald let out a small sigh while glancing at the Alpha. "But I do not need an ally who can only wield words."

Lucian chuckled softly. "Your Grace, if I were like that, I would not be here now." His voice sounded relaxed, yet there was a firmness within it.

Reynald stared at Alpha with a disapproving expression. "How could you not say that this client of yours is really annoying?"

Alpha just shrugged casually. "I don't think I need to tell you that." His eyes glanced at Reynald for a moment before returning to Lucian with a neutral expression.

Reynald sighed, then looked at Lucian more seriously. "So, you want a mutual relationship with me, right?" He leaned back in his chair, his tone sounding like he was testing the young man in front of him.

Lucian didn't answer right away. He stared at the Raynald for a moment before nodding slowly. "Right, Your Grace. I'm offering cooperation, not to be your subordinate."

Reynald raised an eyebrow and then smiled slightly. "Interesting. The kid from the Hale family wants to be on the same level as me." He looked at Lucian longer, as if assessing whether the young man was truly worthy or just talking big.

Lucian wasn't intimidated, his gaze remained sharp and confident. "My answer is still the same as before, Your Grace." He leaned forward a bit. "If I were just an ordinary kid, I wouldn't be here right now."

Reynald tapped the table with his fingers a few times, then clicked his tongue. "I admit I'm really impressed with your courage, Lucian Hale." He leaned back casually. "Alright, since I wanted to repay your earlier help from the start, I guess I'll accept your offer."

Lucian raised his eyebrows a bit before giving a small grin. He leaned back in his chair with a relaxed posture and said in a light tone, "Bingo."

He wasn't surprised by Reynald's answer—he had actually anticipated this reaction. Still, hearing Duke Florence say it directly was satisfying in its own way.

Reynald just snorted lightly and shook his head. "Don't get too happy yet, kid. I'm not fully convinced of you."

Lucian chuckled, then looked at Reynald, "Of course, Your Grace. A healthy relationship starts with a bit of distrust, right?"

Reynald looked at him for a moment, then chuckled softly. "I don't know if I should feel happy or worried about accepting your offer."

"Why not both?" Lucian replied lightly, repeating the words he had said before. Reynald could only shake his head, but there was a slight glimmer of interest in his eyes.

Reynald huffed softly, then stared at Lucian with sharp eyes. "Alright, you've caught my attention. But before we go on, there's one thing I need to ask you."

Lucian showed no signs of nervousness, just waiting with a relaxed expression. "Go ahead, Your Grace."

Reynald leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping the table rhythmically. "Why me?"

Lucian didn't answer right away. He looked at Reynald for a moment, as if weighing something, then smiled faintly. "Because you're the most suitable person."

Reynald raised his eyebrow. "Oh? Explain."

Lucian leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "His Grace is a smart and pragmatic guy. You're not someone who values blind loyalty, but rather someone who looks for real benefits in every relationship. That means, if I offer something valuable enough, you won't hesitate to take it."

Reynald paused for a moment before chuckling softly. "Hah... You're definitely not an ordinary kid, huh?" He looked deeper into Lucian's eyes, then smirked slightly. "It's not just about that illegal funding investigation help; it seems like you have another plan. So, what are you offering?"

Lucian kept his relaxed smile, his fingers still tapping the table at a slow rhythm. "Your Grace, you already know from Alpha that the evidence of illegal funds pointing to you isn't true, right?"

Reynald didn't answer right away. He stared at Lucian for a moment before nodding slowly. "That's true," he said, his voice sounding deeper than before. "That's why I want to return the favor with you."

Lucian leaned back in his chair, observing the expression of the man in front of him. "And also, Your Grace, you've heard about the Guardian summoning, right?"

Reynald just raised one eyebrow, not immediately giving an answer.

Lucian smiled wider. "I guess you'll reveal it at the party."

The room was suddenly filled with heavy silence. Alpha, who had been quiet, suddenly narrowed her eyes. She took a step forward, her voice sharp and tense. "Lucian Hale, how far are you-..."

But before Alpha could finish his words, Reynald's voice cut in firmly.

"Go on."

Alpha shut his mouth, his expression looking annoyed but he stayed silent, while Lucian just smirked a little. Lucian had just gotten the green light to talk further. And that meant, Reynald was starting to acknowledge the value of what he was about to offer.